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If the intersection of games and politics is a bit messy, imagine adding religion to the mix. Last month, the ESA announced that Texas Governor Rick Perry would be delivering the keynote speech at this year's E3 Summit, a decision that raised many eyebrows. The decision was most likely based on the work Texas has done to make game developers and publishers welcome via tax breaks, a policy that has been in the news a good deal lately. However, Perry's religious beliefs are coming under fire, and you have to wonder: what does any of this have to do with the business of selling games?

At a service in San Antonio, Perry was asked to comment on some statements made by Reverend John Hagee, himself a controversial figure. What quotes caused some people to take offense? According to the Dallas Morning News, Hagee said:

"If you live your life and don't confess your sins to God almighty through the authority of Christ and his blood, I'm going to say this very plainly, you're going straight to hell with a nonstop ticket," Mr. Hagee said during a service interspersed with religious and patriotic videos.

Asked afterward at a political rally whether he agreed with Mr. Hagee, the governor said he didn't hear anything that he would take exception to... he believes in the inerrancy of the Bible and that those who don't accept Jesus as their savior will go to hell.

Perry later made a few clarifying statements. "I don't know that there's any human being that has the ability to interpret what God and his final decision-making is going to be. That's what the faith says. I understand, and my caveat there is that an all-knowing God certainly transcends my personal ability to make that judgment black and white. Before we get into Buddha and all the others, I get a little confused there," he then said the same thing in a slightly nicer way. "But the fact is that we live in a pluralistic world but our faith is real personal. And my Christian faith teaches that the way is through Jesus Christ."

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This news is being passed around the gaming sites, along with GamePolitics saying that the ESA should rethink the offer to have Perry deliver the keynote. "While there are surely many Christians among E3 attendees, there are just as surely many who aren't. Aside from the fact that Perry was a bizarre keynote choice from the get-go, his divisive comments indicate that the ESA should rescind the offer," the site's editorial argued.

How are the two issues connected? A good amount of the US shares the thoughts that Perry said out loud. These aren't shocking statements if you've spent any amount of time around those favoring certain strains of Christianity. As a Kentucky boy, I've often been treated warmly, openly, and kindly by people who believe there is hellfire in my future. Not to mention been served the best food. I find it problematic to assign character traits based on religion, and saying he can't speak on the issue of the business aspect of the gaming industry comes off as discrimination.

I'm interested in your thoughts: if someone has these sorts of hard line Christian beliefs, should it make them unfit to speak about the gaming industry?